Darkest Sins
by xXxAngel-With-A-ShotgunxXx
Summary: After losing the Curtis' parents and then Johnny, no one could even think that Ponyboy would be the next in line. But after a phone call and a package in the mail, things were getting serious - fast.
1. Regular Day

**Darkest Sins**

**1. Regular Day**

_It was silent, just like it had been for the last few days. None of them could find anything to say. Darry sat in the recliner, just staring into space; Steve, Two-Bit, Dally, Tim and Curly were in the kitchen, going over maps of Tulsa and surrounding areas with FBI Agent Dunning; a bunch of cops and FBI Agent's were outside of the house, waiting for a phone call and for new places to search. Sodapop just stared up at the ceiling from where he was laying on the floor, in front of the sofa. All of this waiting was killing him._

_The front door opened and an officer walked in with their mail, before tossing a few letters onto their coffee table. However, there was a package in his hands that he looked over carefully. Soda sat up, wondering what was going on._

_"Have you ordered anything?" the officer asked._

_Darry looked up. "No." He watched the officer for a minute, carefully. "What ... What is that?"_

_The officer shook his head. "I don't know. Do you mind if I open it?"_

_Darry shook his head. "No, go right ahead."_

_Sodapop just stared at the officer as he checked over the package and then opened it. As soon as he got it open and peered inside, he visibly blanched._

_"Oh, god! Dunning!"_

_Agent Dunning came running into the room, saw the officer holding the package and looked into it, before paling dramatically. "Oh, shit!"_

_As everyone started running around, Sodapop didn't take his eyes off of the package. The officer spoke to Darry, who started shaking his head, before breaking down completely, sobbing like nobody had ever seen before. Soda's head snapped back over to the package, which had been placed on the table as Agent Dunning and the officer started trying to calm Darry down and get other Agent's updated. No one paid attention to him as he walked over and picked up the package._

_As soon as he saw what was in the package, he wished he left it well enough alone._

_"No!" he yelled, dropping the package to the floor and pressing himself against the wall, before sinking down onto the floor. He buried his head in his hands and cried out in despair. "Ponyboy!"_

-x-x-x-x-x-

**September 23rd, 1967**

Ponyboy grinned as the door slammed, just before Two-Bit, Steve and Dally walked into the kitchen.

"Hey, guys," Ponyboy greeted them.

"Hey!" "Morning, kid." "What's for breakfast?" they all replied in some way, before sitting down at the kitchen table. Ponyboy didn't even bother saying anything to Steve's question of what was for breakfast; he asked the same thing every morning.

Two-Bit looked at him, before asking, "Was that Tim Shepard I saw, walkin' down the street?"

Ponyboy nodded. "He came by to warn me not to go downtown. Apparently, word's gotten around that I buddy around with Curly a lot, and with that war buildin' up between the Shepard's and the River Kings ... well ..." He shrugged.

"Do Soda and Superman know?" Steve asked, glancing at Ponyboy, before getting up to get some chocolate cake out of the ice box.

Ponyboy shook his head. "No, I haven't told 'em. It'll cool down by the end of the month, anyway. The same thing happened last year and Tim gave me the same warnin' then. _Use that brain you're known for and don't go downtown, Curtis._ Although, admittedly, it was for a different reason last year. They'll have a rumble in a couple o' weeks, Tim'll ask Darry for help and everything'll go back to normal."

Dally nodded in agreement. "Same shit, just at a different time. Speaking of same shit, I'm headin' down to the Nightly Double tonight. Anyone ready to hunt up some action?"

Steve shook his head. "I'm takin' Evie out tonight."

Two-Bit shrugged. "Why not? I ain't got nothin' better to do."

"Ponyboy?" Dally asked, looking at him.

Washing down some chocolate cake with a gulp of orange juice, Ponyboy nodded. "I'll come, but I'll have to make sure it's okay with Darry."

"Make sure what's okay with Darry?" Darry asked as he walked into the kitchen.

"Going to the Nightly Double tonight," Ponyboy answered, looking at his oldest brother.

Darry poured himself some coffee, before chugging half of it down. "I dunno, kiddo. I'm going to be workin' tonight and Soda still has that flu, so he'll be sleepin' all day. Neither of us can go with you."

Ponyboy didn't even sigh. He'd expected this answer and he knew why Darry was hesitating, but that didn't mean it didn't get on his nerves. It had been a year since the events of Windrixville and losing Johnny, but Darry and Soda barely let him out of their sights even now.

"Dally and Two-Bit'll be there," Ponyboy told Darry, "and I'll walk home straight after the movie."

Even before the words had come out of his mouth, Ponyboy knew what the answer would be.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"I can't believe he's lettin' me go to the movies," Ponyboy exclaimed in disbelief.

Dally, Two-Bit and himself had just snuck into the Nightly Double. They all had the money to get in, but Dally was the kind of person who hated to do things the legal way, so they'd gotten in under the fence - just like they did every time they came to see a movie.

"It's means they're lengthenin' the leash, kid," Dally told him, whacking him lightly on the back of the head. That was about the fifth time he'd mentioned being allowed to go to the movies in the last hour.

Ponyboy glared at him for the reference, but Two-Bit laughed. It was a long-standing joke on their side of town that Ponyboy was the only greaser in the world who had brother's to worry about, as well as the cops. It was true, of course, but that didn't mean Ponyboy liked the jokes. He preferred to have brother's who cared about him and didn't let him run wild, than brother's who didn't care, at all.

Of course, there were times where it got to be just a bit too much. As much as he liked the fact that his brother's looked out for him, he often wished that they'd just let him be sometimes. How else was he supposed to learn, otherwise? He had to actually make mistakes, in order to learn from them.

The three of them got their drinks and popcorn, before heading to the seats in front of the concession stands. There were a group of Socs sitting up front, so they just stayed in the middle. None of them were interested in starting a fight right now. If Ponyboy went home with bruises, then he was likely to be taken away from his brothers, because the Curtis' social worker was due to turn up on the 27th, which was only a few days away.

The movie was one of the crime stories and not a very good one; Ponyboy had everything figured out about twenty minutes into it.

"Hey, greaser," a cold voice from the front called out.

Dally and Two-Bit turned their heads immediately, but Ponyboy knew who was calling and was much slower about looking over. Rick Sheldon, Bob Sheldon's younger brother, had been giving him problems for just less than a year. It had started not too long after he'd written his theme, but it had stopped bothering Ponyboy a long time ago. It was clear to all the greasers who had the displeasure of knowing him that Rick was just a poser.

He wore the rings that Bob always had on when he was alive. He talked the same, walked the same and dressed the same. However, he didn't look the same. Nor did he have Bob's brain. Even though Bob had been a drunk, he was still vastly intelligent and had been well on his way to being accepted into Harvard, or Princeton, or Yale. Rick had been expelled from three different school for violent conduct and had only gotten into Will Rogers on a technicality. He was sixteen.

"What d'you want, Rick?" Ponyboy asked, tiredly.

Rick smirked, cruelly. "Wonderin' what you think of my girlfriend."

Looking to Rick's right, Ponyboy saw Cherry Valance drinking a coke. It took a lot of effort to prevent himself from rolling his eyes. If there was one person that Ponyboy knew who could do a complete one-eighty in behaviour, it was Cherry. She had gone from helping the greasers in the rumble one week, to cursing and spitting at them the next.

Ponyboy had already known that Cherry was dating Rick; it was the talk of the school and had been for three weeks. They had been deemed the 'it' couple by the Socs. Cherry's appearance had also completely changed since she started dating Rick, as well. She always had a few too many buttons undone on her shirt, her skirt was a couple of inches too short and her hair always looked far wilder than it used to be.

She was the kind of girl who thought she could change the 'bad boys'. Ponyboy had no clue how she thought she could change this particular bad boy, especially dressed like that. She'd actually become the butt of the greaser jokes.

Looking back, Ponyboy knew that she'd always had the potential to become like this - especially after that comment she'd made about Dally. There were a few words he could use to describe Cherry Valance, but none of them were polite and, if his momma were still alive, she'd wash his mouth out with soap if she ever caught him using them.

Before Ponyboy could even answer Rick's question, Dally decided to. "You ain't the type to have a girlfriend, Sheldon. Two-Bit, I bet you twenty bucks that, as soon as he gets her in bed, he'll dump her ass."

Two-Bit shook his head. "That's a suckers bet. I ain't takin' that."

"I will," Ponyboy cut in.

Dally and Two-Bit looked at him in shock. Was he sticking up for Cherry?

"What?" Dally asked, lowly, wondering what the hell was going through Ponyboy's head.

Ponyboy nodded towards the couple in front of them. "He won't leave her. After all, she's the only girl who's likely gullible enough to give him the time of day. As soon as they get into bed, she'll leave."

"How'd you figure that?" Two-Bit asked. Had Ponyboy completely lost it?

"He's wearing shoes a few sizes too big," Ponyboy said, simply, but a slight smirk had settled on his lips.

There was utter silence for a second, before Dally and Two-Bit busted up laughing - and they weren't the only ones. Turning his head, Ponyboy saw Tim and Curly Shepard walking over, having overheard Ponyboy's last comment. A couple of the guys from the Shepard gang, who were walking over with coke's, had also heard everything and were looking at Ponyboy with new-found appreciation in their eyes.

Rick, however, turned bright red and Cherry choked slightly on her coke. However, everyone caught her eyes flicker to Rick's shoes.

"You'll get what's comin' to you, Curtis!" Rick snarled, before grabbing Cherry's wrist and walking away.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**September 24th, 1967**

Steve was choking on his eggs after Dally finished the story of what Ponyboy had said to Rick Sheldon the night before. Sodapop, who had gotten over the worst of his flu, was leaning against the kitchen counter, looking at his younger brother in shock. Luckily, Darry wasn't in the house, since he'd gotten an emergency call about some old lady's roof having crashed all over her bedroom floor.

"There's no way!" Steve denied. "No way that _that_ came out of the kid's mouth about a Soc."

Ponyboy scowled. "I ain't a kid."

"Where'd that come from, Pone?" Soda asked in shock.

Exchanging looks with the others, Ponyboy quickly came up with an excuse of having read it in a book somewhere. Soda bought it and nodded, but Steve, Two-Bit and Dally just looked amused. It just might have been a book that had given Ponyboy the knowledge of that statement, but it wasn't the first time that Ponyboy had used the reference to outsmart someone.

Just a few months ago, Bryon Douglas had snagged a girlfriend - Cathy, a girl who Ponyboy had liked, before getting over it - by wearing shoes a couple of sizes too big. Ponyboy had called him out on it not too long after they'd broken up and made a fool out of him. This last summer, Bryon had tried to get back at Ponyboy by claiming that he wore his brother's shoes to show off. For a while, the rumours had gone around and some people believed them. However, that all ended when one particularly curious greaser had gone up to Ponyboy and straight up asked him about it.

As it turned out, it was proven that Ponyboy did not wear his brother's shoes and girls had been flocking him ever since. Steve still liked to bring it up, just to annoy him, but even he couldn't deny that Ponyboy had been particularly gifted in that area.

Ponyboy stood up. "I'll see you guys later. Curly's left his homework until the last-minute again and he has an essay due tomorrow."

"See ya." "Bye." "Don't be late, Pony." They all said at the same time. Ponyboy rolled his eyes, picked up his bag and walked outside.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Two pairs of eyes watched Ponyboy as he entered the Shepard house. They had been watching him for a while now and had decided that tomorrow would be the best day for them to go ahead with their plan. They would have their revenge and Ponyboy Curtis would forever regret the day he'd ruined their lives.

Soon.

* * *

**A/N: I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Please, let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome, but reviews which are rude and/or offensive will be deleted. Also, if you can't be bothered to sign in to let me know what you think of a chapter and are completely rude about it, the review will be deleted and guest reviews will be disabled.**

**Enjoy the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders.**


	2. Phone Call

**Darkest Sins**

**2. Phone Call**

**September 25th, 1967**

Rolling his eyes, Ponyboy leaned back and took a long drag of his cigarette. "Angela! Get out here! We need to head to school!"

"One minute!" Angela Shepard yelled back.

"That's what you said five minutes ago," Ponyboy muttered, putting out his cigarette. "Is your sister always like this, Curly?"

Curly, who was flipping through the channels on the TV, nodded. "It's a girl thing, Pony."

Ponyboy shook his head. "Well, I'm glad I don't have sisters, then."

Grimacing as he caught sight of his reflection in the mirror on the wall, Ponyboy wondered whether it would've been better to shave that morning, after all. He'd gotten up late and hadn't even had time to eat breakfast before leaving.

"Curly, have you got a spare razor?" Ponyboy asked.

Curly pointed down the hall. "Tim always has a few that he can spare. He won't mind. I do it all the time."

Ponyboy shrugged and walked to the bathroom, which was the only one in the Shepard house. Standing in the doorway, Ponyboy raised an eyebrow when he saw Angela standing there putting her makeup on, very slowly and meticulously.

"Is that what's taken you fifteen minutes?" Ponyboy asked, not impressed.

Angela didn't even jump. "Perfection takes time, Ponyboy. You seem to know nothin' about that, though." She eyed the stubble around his jaw.

"I had to leave quickly," Ponyboy protested.

"I can tell," Angela drawled, before holding up a brand new razor and moving out-of-the-way. "I'll leave you to it."

Angela left and Ponyboy got to work, finishing quickly. He chucked the razor into the trash once he was done, because he doubted anyone else would use it, anyway. Walking down the hall, he saw Angela just as she was leaving her bedroom, putting on her favourite high heels.

"Do I want to know?" Ponyboy asked. The last time he'd seen her wearing those heels was when she had that crush on him, which she got over rather quickly. Ponyboy thanked his lucky stars that she did, as he didn't fancy having a talk with her brothers about that.

Angela smiled and chuckled. "I had a run in with Bryon Douglas the other night and he called me a slut. I know where he's goin' to be around lunch time and I just so happen to know that Tim is goin' to be there, as well. I'm hopin' Douglas' mouth won't stay shut."

Ponyboy just looked at her for a second. "You havin' your brother's fight your battles for you now, Angel?"

Ponyboy's voice was silky smooth when he said that and Angela flinched. His voice only ever took on that quality when he wasn't happy - which was something that Darry and Soda hadn't quite picked up on, even though they were brothers.

"Let's just go to school," Angela murmured, heading towards to front room.

Ponyboy shook his head and sighed, desperately wishing he hadn't gotten up that morning.

-x-x-x-x-x-

"... tellin' you!" Curly snarled. "Those fuckin' Socs are gonna get what's comin' to 'em!"

Mark shook his head, just looking bored. "I'm sure they will, Shepard. Be sure to tell 'em that to their faces, yeah?"

Curly's eyes snapped to Mark, glaring. "Fuck you, Jennings. I swear, that rumble last year didn't teach 'em jack shit."

"Did you expect it to?" Ponyboy asked, cutting into the conversation which was sure to end up with bloodshed. Curly and Mark very rarely got along. "How's everythin' goin' with the River Kings, Curly?"

Curly lit a cigarette, glaring at the grass below his feet. "It's a whole load of shit. The same thing happens every year and it's like we're always stuck on repeat. Angela ain't listenin' to me or Tim. She keeps goin' downtown and, one day, the RK'll catch her."

The three of them shuddered. They'd heard stories about what happened to the last girl the RK had caught up to. It wasn't pretty - not, at all - and it was that story which had caused half the girls around town to start carrying blades of their own. The girl who the RK had caught up to hadn't left her house since and there were rumours going around, saying that she was moving away. Ponyboy didn't blame her.

Now, Ponyboy couldn't deny that he had buddies among the RK, just like he had buddies among the Brumly's and a few other gangs around the area. Darry and Soda didn't like that, saying that he could get caught up in something he didn't want to get caught up in. Although Ponyboy agreed with them, he also knew that these alliances would keep him safe in a good number of circumstances.

The Socs believed that greasers were mostly focused on the feud between them. However, most of the time, that was the last thing on the greasers' minds. The gang feuds on the East Side of town took up most of everyone's time, because that's where the most blood was shed. In fact, just a couple of months ago, the youngest brother of the leader of the Brumly gang was cornered by one of the vicious downtown gangs and almost killed. He was only twelve, as well.

"She's needs a good scare," Mark commented. "Otherwise, the message won't sink in. Does she carry a blade?"

Curly's expression was blank as he shook his head. "No, she doesn't and with the way she's dressin' these days, she's catch the wrong guys eye."

Ponyboy grimaced. "It may've already happened." Ponyboy quickly told them what Angela had told him about Bryon Douglas this morning. "Now that I think about it, that doesn't quite make sense. She was wearing _those_ heels."

Curly and Mark didn't say anything, they just exchanged looks.

"Oh, sorry!" Ponyboy stopped and looked at the man he'd just bumped into.

The man had dark hair and eyes. It was evident that he wasn't from around Tulsa, because he was dressed more like someone from the country would be. The guy just looked at Ponyboy for a long second, before walking off. Watching him walk away, Ponyboy felt a shiver run down his spine.

"What the hell was that?" Mark asked, incredulously. "Who does that bastard think he is?"

Curly and Mark started trading insults about the guy, but Ponyboy just stared in the direction that he'd walked away and disappeared; something didn't feel right.

He turned to face Curly and Mark. "I need to head home. We still on for the Nightly Double tonight?"

They both nodded.

"Definitely," Mark agreed. "I need to get out of the house."

Curly snorted. "You always need to get out of the house."

Ponyboy rolled his eyes and walked away from them both. "See you!"

-x-x-x-x-x-

When Ponyboy looked back on the moment, he wouldn't really remember everything. He remembered the screeching of tires, tripping over the sidewalk in order to get away in time, the opening of a car door and a knife held against his throat.

The words "Move and I'll slit your throat" rang in his ears and terror filled him when he realized that a trickle of blood was beginning to run down his neck. He was dragged around to the back of the white van, before one man opened the back doors and the other - the one who was holding the knife to his throat - shoved him inside, before climbing in with him.

It was when the cloth was held against his mouth and nose, and the van doors slammed shut, that Ponyboy knew it was for real. It was that moment in which Ponyboy wished for his brothers like never before.

And then everything went black.

-x-x-x-x-x-

**Three Days Later (Late in the day of September 27th, 1967)**

"... not doin' anythin'!" Darry yelled at the cops standing in the doorway.

Officer Andy Dare sighed. "We're doing everything we can, Mr. Curtis. However, you need to entertain the possibility that your brother has just run away."

Sodapop shook his head, from where he was sitting with Steve, Two-Bit and Dally. "No, not Ponyboy. Not now. He wouldn't do that to us again."

Officer Randle Finster snorted. "I doubt that -"

He was cut off as the phone started ringing. Darry almost threw himself over the phone, hoping that the person on the other end would be Ponyboy. However, by this time, he knew better than to say his little brother's name. "Hello?"

"Darrel Curtis?"

"Yes," Darry answered, his brow furrowed. "Who is this?"

A deep voice chuckled in a way that made a shiver run down Darry's spine. "That doesn't matter, because if you ever want to see your little brother alive again, you're going to do exactly as I say ..."

* * *

**Author's Note****:- I'm so sorry that this chapter took so long; I just couldn't seem to get it right and I'm still not entirely happy with it, but I can't spend all of my time on this. I promise you that the next chapter will be longer. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter and please leave a review.**

**Disclaimer****:- I do not own the Outsiders.**


	3. Dark Day

**Darkest Sins**

**3. Dark Day**

**September 28th, 1967**

Dally leaned back against the bar as the meeting between the Shepard's and RK began. The feud between them had been halted after Ponyboy didn't turn up to meet Curly and Mark for the movies, and then didn't return home, three days ago. This was the only time that Darry and Soda had seen the value in all of the friends that Ponyboy had in the different gangs around.

_Everyone_ was searching for Ponyboy.

"... any news?" the leader of the RK asked.

Tim nodded. "He's been kidnapped."

Utter silence reigned, until one of the younger members of RK stepped forward. "What the hell are you talkin' about? Who would do that?"

Dally snorted, making everyone look at him. "Who wouldn't? I heard what that bastard, Sheldon, said the other night. 'You'll get what's comin' to you, Curtis!' That's what he said."

"You think it was him?" Tim asked.

Dally shook his head. "The little shit ain't that smart, Tim. Maybe his parents are behind it. Maybe it's someone else."

"But, he's the best bet," Curly spoke up, looking over at his brother and Dally. "Sheldon's had it out for Pony for months. It's like a fly buzzin' in your ear, so Pony learned to ignore him."

Dally agreed, up to a certain point. "Darry told me that it wasn't the voice of a boy on the phone; it was a grown man. If the Sheldon's are behind this, then that would mean that his father is involved, as well."

"Well, you've got a bit of a problem, then." Everyone looked over to the RKs second-in-command. "His father is in the hospital, with a liver problem. I was picking up my sister after she broke her leg and the doctors put a cast on it, and I saw Sheldon Snr. on the same floor. He's been there for two weeks."

Everything was silent for a second.

"Fuck!" Dally swore.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Laying back in bed, Sodapop stared up at the ceiling. He'd been so upset when the phone call had come last night and he'd ended up crying himself to sleep. All day today, the police had been setting up some equipment, waiting for the next call from the kidnappers. The FBI had arrived a few hours ago and had been doing a number of things - tracing Ponyboy's last steps, talking to Curly and Mark, who had been the last ones to see him, and gathering more personal information about Ponyboy from himself and Darry.

All day, Soda had been holding himself together, but now he felt like he couldn't do it anymore. His little brother was missing and he had no idea what kind of state he was in.

He couldn't help remembering when he'd been eight and Ponyboy had somehow gotten pneumonia.

_Ponyboy looked so fragile in that hospital bed; he looked like a soft breeze would break him. Sodapop couldn't understand how the doctors and his parents thought that Ponyboy was getting better because, if anything, it looked like he was getting worse._

_Soda also felt guilty. He should've kept a better eye on Pony. They all thought that Ponyboy had only had a cold, but he should've made sure. He should've kept a better eye on his younger brother. He'd should've taken care of him better. He was Ponyboy's big brother and that was supposed to be his job._

_Leaning against the railings of Ponyboy's hospital bed, Sodapop felt a tear run down his cheek._

_"I'll be better," he whispered. "I'll be a better big brother. I'll take care of you. I promise."_

A sob broke out from Soda's. He'd broken his promise.

He'd broken his promise.

-x-x-x-x-x-

It was dark and cold in the room that he was being held in. He was sitting on a chair, his arms tied to the armrests, his legs tied to the legs of the chair, his waist tied to the back of the chair and he'd also been gagged.

Unfortunately, he'd gotten used to being on the chair constantly and only getting up for bathroom breaks - if he was allowed. However, this was the first time that a single noise had penetrated his small prison non-stop for hours since he'd been brought here. The dripping on the tap had been slowly driving him mad for hours.

_Shut up_, he thought. _Shut up_.

Suddenly, light filled the room as a door was opened, making him cringe back and close his eyes. He wasn't used to the light, as he was always left in the dark.

The voice that he'd recently learned to loathe cut through the air as the door was shut again and the light switch was flicked on. "I hope you're ready for a long night, Ponyboy. We're going to have so much fun."

His blood ran cold and a dark chuckle echoed throughout the room. Something cold was pressed against his bare arm and, soon, all that could be heard were muffled screams of pain.

* * *

**Author's Note****:- I'm so sorry that this chapter is so short. I've had a really hard time with it and everything has been really hectic here, as well. I promise that the next one will be longer, because that's where things start heating up everywhere. If you have any requests of what you would like to see in the next chapter, or just in the story in general, then let me know.**

**Enjoy!**


	4. Fire

**Darkest Sins**

**4. Fire**

**September 29th, 1967 - 10:00**

Nathaniel Redding sat on the bed in his oldest brother's room, which was currently occupied by, not only himself, but a boy his own age. The fact that his parents and uncle had actually kidnapped Ponyboy Curtis still sent him reeling at the best of times. This was not one of those times.

The right side of Ponyboy's face was bloodied and had a deep laceration going down from temple to chin, but not going over his eye. It was on the very side of his face, but that seemed to make it worse in a way. Nathaniel knew it would scar, because it was the one laceration that had been cut into over and over again. His clothes were torn and bloodied, showing that he'd been harmed in other areas, but they weren't as vital as the one on his face.

Ponyboy flinched as Nathaniel cleaned the wound, but didn't pull away.

"I'm sorry, Ponyboy," Nathaniel apologised. "This is going to sting."

Ponyboy just looked at him, but didn't say anything. There wasn't a gag in his mouth today, but that didn't mean that Ponyboy spoke freely. Nathaniel's parents and uncle seemed to develop radar ears as soon as Ponyboy made a single sound, so he made sure to keep as quiet as he could.

Nathaniel cursed under his breath as he cleaned the wound and realized just how close to being infected it really was. His uncle had gone too far.

As he finished cleaning Ponyboy's wounds, he saw where Ponyboy's eyes were and immediately walked over to the wall, before taking down the picture that Ponyboy had been looking at. The picture was of his younger sister, who had been dead for about a year now.

"It's not your fault," Nathaniel told Ponyboy, already knowing what was on his mind. "Don't listen to them."

A year ago, when Ponyboy Curtis and Johnny Cade had saved a bunch of kids from that church fire, they accidentally left one behind. They hadn't known she'd been there, because she'd been in an entirely different section of the church and, very likely, hadn't even seen the two boys herself. The autopsy report had said that she'd died of smoke inhalation, before the fire had even had the chance to start burning her. The girl had been his younger sister, Olivia.

According to Nathaniel's parents, it didn't matter that Olivia had been out-of-bounds; someone needed to pay for their baby dying. They'd waited years to have a little girl, after three failed attempts with himself and his two older brothers. They'd neglected and abused the three of them for years, before Olivia had miraculously come along. After that, they'd spoilt her rotten and basically forgotten about their sons.

Nathaniel had loved his sister, dearly, but he couldn't claim to have liked her. They'd never gotten along and she was a complete spoilt brat, always used to getting her own way.

Since Johnny Cade had died, his parents had decided that Ponyboy Curtis was the perfect person to pay for what had happened to their precious little girl. It had taken months of careful planning and they'd finally gotten him, just a few days ago. Nathaniel, on the other hand, had never blamed Ponyboy in the least - and neither had his two older brothers, Matthew, 19, and Louis, 21. They were both away at college and were currently unaware of the latest developments - and Nathaniel had been forbidden to use the phone.

The only phone that was currently usable was the one in the front room, which always had one of the adults residing in it. In fact, it was where his uncle Jacob slept every night.

Nathaniel was startled from his thoughts as the door to the room opened and his parents, Joshua and Mary, stepped in. His mother was holding a small saucepan in one hand and a ladle in the other. His father, on the other hand, had a lighter in his right hand. Staring at the objects that they'd brought in, Nathaniel felt his blood run cold.

Hadn't they tortured him enough?

"Leave, Nathaniel," his father ordered.

Looking at Ponyboy, Nathaniel could see the panicked look in his eyes. However, they both knew that he wouldn't be able to stay for this. Closing the door behind him and walking down the stairs, barely ten seconds passed before the screaming started.

-x-x-x-x-x-

Pain!

Agony!

Burned alive! Fire!

Soda! Darry! Help, please!

-x-x-x-x-x-

**September 29th, 1967 - 16:00**

"Are they okay?" Dally asked Tim, as they both watched Curly and Mark.

Tim shook his head. "They're real shook up. You know the fuzz don't believe Darry about the phone call, so those two were in the station all night and they've only just gotten out. The fuzz accused them of murdering Ponyboy and hiring someone to make the phone call."

Dally saw red. "Those rotten fuckin' bastards!"

How dare they do that? Everyone who saw those three together knew that they were close-knit. Curly and Mark may not always get along, but they both cared for Ponyboy. He'd helped them both through real tough times in the past and to be accused of murdering him would really effect them. Ponyboy had always had their backs and they'd always had his.

"We've gotta find him," Dally muttered.

Tim looked at him. "We will."

-x-x-x-x-x-

**September 29th, 1967 - 21:00**

Everyone was sat in the front room. Steve sat next to Soda, who had barely responded to anything, or anyone, all day. Two-Bit had his eyes in the TV screen, where Mickey Mouse was playing, but everyone in the room knew that he wasn't really watching it. Darry stood with Dally and Tim by the phone, waiting for the phone call that everyone had been expecting all day. Curly and Mark were sitting in a corner of the room, talking in quiet voices.

Standing by the front door were two Agent's from the FBI, Dunning and Carter. They hadn't left the house all day, because they'd also been waiting for the phone call.

Soon enough, everyone's wishes were granted as the phone rang. Agent's who were set up in the kitchen and in the living room with equipment quickly got into place. With a well placed signal, Darry was told to pick up the phone.

"Hello?"

"Darry Curtis, listen to what I'm saying very carefully."

From the equipment that had been set up, everyone could hear the deep, male voice. Everything was on a speaker.

"Where's my brother? What have you done with him?"

It was silent for a long moment and then - "Darry?"

Everyone's blood ran cold as Ponyboy's voice came through. He sounded so weak - so tired.

"Ponyboy!" Darry and Sodapop both yelled at the same time. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

For a minute, it didn't seem like Ponyboy was going to answer. "I wanna go home."

Soda felt the tears come to his eyes. Pony sounded so small, so frightened.

Before anyone could say anything else, the male's voice came back on the line. "Your brother wants to go home and the only way that's going to happen is if you listen to my instructions very carefully."

"What do you want?" Darry asked, slight desperation leaking into his voice.

A dark chuckle was heard. "I had hoped you would see things my way, Mr. Curtis ..."

* * *

**Redding Family**

**Mother****:- Mary Redding, 48**

**Father****:- Joshua Redding, 49**

**Uncle****:- Jacob Redding, 45**

**Oldest Brother****:- Louis Redding, 21**

**Middle Brother****:- Matthew Redding, 19**

**Youngest Brother****:- Nathaniel Redding, 15**

**Sister****:- Olivia Redding, 7 (deceased)**

* * *

**Author's Note:- I'm so sorry for the wait. Things have been really busy over here and, for a short time, I completely lost my inspiration for this story. Anyway, I hope you've enjoyed this update. Please, let me know what you've thought of this and send me a review.**

**Enjoy!**


	5. Pain

**Darkest Sins**

**5. Pain**

**September 30th, 1967 - 07:00**

The screaming had gone on long into the night. After the phone call to Ponyboy's brothers, Nathaniel had been forced to stay in the living room all night, while his parents and uncle took turns going into the room that Ponyboy was held captive in - sometimes for hours at a time.

Now, Nathaniel stepped into the room with a First Aid kit and walked over to Ponyboy. He'd been let out of the chair, which explained the slight scuffle he'd heard earlier. Now, he was laying on the bed, with his wrist attached to long ropes that were also attached to the headboard. He would be able to sit up and sleep normally, but he wouldn't be able to undo those ropes. His shirt and pants were torn, showing all of the burns, cuts and bruises that he'd accumulated through the night - highlighting them, almost. His eyes were extremely bloodshot and slightly puffy.

Setting the First Aid kit on the bedside table, Nathaniel immediately got to work on the worst of the injuries. Throughout the whole process, Ponyboy barely flinched or even made a sound.

It was only when Nathaniel was finished with the worst of the injuries - and rechecked the wound on his face, to make sure that there was no infection - that Ponyboy finally looked at him and spoke, his voice hoarse from all the screaming that he'd done through the night.

"My eyes ..."

Nathaniel shook his head. "I don't have anything for your eyes."

"Not that," Ponyboy managed to get out. "My right eye ... I can't see out of my right eye ..."

Nathaniel just looked at Ponyboy for a long moment, feeling the horror fill him. What had they done?

-x-x-x-x-x-

**September 30th, 1967 - 11:00**

Everything was quiet in the Curtis house. Just an hour ago, they'd followed the kidnapper's demands and had dropped off money - fake money, that the FBI had supplied - at the location they'd been given. After that, Darry had been told to leave and go back home, by the payphone that had been nearby.

Not even five minutes ago, they'd gotten a phone call from the kidnapper. He'd recognized the money as fake and had been furious.

_"... take me as an incompetent idiot? Do you think this is a childish game? I suggest you really think about what you've done because, tomorrow, I'll be sending you something. Let's see how much of a childish game you think this is after that!"_

Darry had gotten into an explosive fight with the FBI Agents and the police. He'd been taken down the station, in order to show him exactly what was going on with everything. Tim had explained to Soda, after they all left, that he had a vague idea on what the plan was.

_"If the kidnapper tries to use the money, they'll know about it. They probably have every bank in the State of Oklahoma keepin' their eyes open."_

It hadn't made Soda feel better. Not at all.

What was happening to Ponyboy?

-x-x-x-x-x-

**September 30th, 1967 - 12:00**

Ponyboy had been moved from his single room prison and down into the living room. Jacob and himself were the only ones in the house, since Nathaniel and his parents had left about forty-five minutes ago. Nathaniel hadn't wanted to leave but, when the adults had basically ordered him to, he hadn't had choice.

Ponyboy was sitting in front of the table in the living room, his arms tied down and pressed flat against the table. After tying him to the table, Jacob had gone into the kitchen to make himself brunch, leaving Ponyboy alone with nothing but his thoughts.

What was Jacob planning? Why had he been brought down here? What was going to happen to him?

Ponyboy began to feel sick at the thoughts running through his head, but managed to force the vomit down, that had risen up his throat. He wanted his brothers, like he'd never wanted them before; he wanted them to hold him and tell him that everything was going to be all right. He wanted Two-Bit, to show him that there was still humor and good things in the world. He wanted Steve, to say that he couldn't be in the situation, because he was a kid and he shouldn't be experiencing things like this before his time. He wanted Dally, to tell him not to let the bastards see that they were getting to him.

Ponyboy wondered if Curly and Mark were okay. He'd been here long enough and had enough time to think that he realized that the police had probably considered them the number one suspects for a while. Ponyboy wasn't ignorant of the way the police thought, when it concerned the East Side of town, and he'd been worried about them as soon as the thought had crossed his mind.

Ponyboy's gaze snapped towards the kitchen door as it opened. Jacob stepped into the room, holding a large steak knife in one hand and a plate of food in the other. When the plate was placed on the table, Ponyboy could see that he had a steak and salad. It wasn't comforting to know that the steak knife was still needed, when he had a perfectly cut steak on his plate, already.

Jacob moved around the table, holding the steak knife, until he stood in front of where Ponyboy's hands were secure. For the first time, Ponyboy really began to wonder why his palms and fingers were completely flat against the table.

"They tried to give me fake money," Jacob told him. "Can you believe that, Curtis? They tried to give me fake money, like I'm not intelligent enough to know real money from fake money."

Ponyboy couldn't take his eyes off of the steak knife; it was resting directly between his hands, with Jacob still holding onto the handle.

"They have to pay for that," Jacob continued. "I'm not stupid, I'm not incompetent and they need to learn that. You understand that, don't you, Ponyboy?"

Ponyboy felt his blood run cold as the knife was lifted and then placed over the pinky and ring fingers of his left hand.

"They need to learn," Jacob murmured.

For a second, Ponyboy didn't feel anything as the blade began to get to work, but then the pain started. The pain overtook everything and Ponyboy could barely even scream, because the pain was that intense. Tears ran from his eyes and choked sobs began to break from his chest, as he managed to whisper a few words.

"Please, don't. Stop. Please. Please!"

-x-x-x-x-x-

**October 1st, 1967 - 05:00**

(After the scene in italics at the beginning of the story.)

Sodapop had to be given a sedative, in order to help him calm down. It knocked him out cold and he had been taken into his bedroom, where he was now. Darry had gone into shock after he'd stopped sobbing and was now in his room, being treated by a doctor. The FBI Agents were talking to Dallas Winston and Tim Shepard, who were the most calm and clear-headed people in the house at that moment.

Steve, however, wasn't content to remain quiet.

"What the hell was that?" Steve asked, his voice trembling with anger. He'd never seen Soda like that, not even when his parents had died. What was in the package, that had caused the two brothers to react like that?

The FBI Agents left the room, leaving Dally and Tim, who both face Steve, Two-Bit, Curly, Mark and the others who had gathered in the room. The package had been taken and so had whatever was in it.

Dally looked at them, before turning to face Tim. However, when he spoke, he was speaking to Tim. "It's become urgent that Ponyboy be found. The FBI believe that his kidnappers are torturin' him."

Everything went completely silent.

"In the package that was delivered ..." Dally trailed off, completely fury and hatred overcoming him.

"Fingers," Tim choked out, anger colouring his tone. "The fuckin' bastards sent us two of Ponyboy's fingers."

* * *

**Author's Note****:- I'm sorry that this took so long, but things were so hectic and I wasn't having much luck with this chapter. Please, let me know what you think and leave a review.**

**Enjoy!**


	6. A Brother's Love

**Darkest Sins**

**6. A Brother's Love**

**October 1st, 1967 - 07:00**

Sodapop remembered a time when Ponyboy was twelve. Darry had been away for the weekend, with some friends, so Ponyboy and himself had been left alone with their parents for a few days. They'd had the best time watching movies, eating popcorn and having crazy food, that they'd actually been disappointed when Darry had come home.

Darry had always felt left out, when it came to the relationship between himself and Ponyboy. Sodapop couldn't bring himself to feel bad about it because, quite frankly, it was Darry's own fault as much as it was his and Ponyboy's. During High School, Darry'd had a real rebellious period. He'd been in the football team with a bunch of Socs and had actually become severely ashamed of being a greaser. He went as far as to beat up anyone who called himself and his little brothers greasers. He'd tried to deny the fact that he and his family were greasers.

Sodapop and Ponyboy had both known that it had been a phase, but it was a phase that they'd never been able to forgive Darry for. They remembered their mother's tears, their father's disappointed, confused and dejected looks and their own hurt, and couldn't forgive him. It had gotten so bad that their parents had been afraid of embarrassing him and stopped turning up to his football games.

The fact that Darry had been ashamed to be a greaser had always confused Sodapop and Ponyboy, because they'd never been ashamed. They may have gotten tired of the tones that were used when people used the word greaser, or gotten angry when people immediately assumed they were just like the downtown gangs, but they'd never been ashamed of being the people that they are.

During his last year of High School, Darry had been so apologetic that their parents had forgiven him easily. Sodapop and Ponyboy had pretended that everything was all right, but they'd never quite been able to forgive him. Despite Darry's insistence, not one of them ever turned up to his football games again.

Now, faced with the fact that his youngest brother was being tortured, Sodapop couldn't help but remember this time and many others that had brought himself and Ponyboy closer together. Darry had always wondered what had driven him and Ponyboy apart, but had never thought it was the same with him and Soda. He loved his older brother very much but, sometimes, he looked at Darry and didn't know who he was seeing.

Darry's own self-disgust had done that ...

... and Sodapop felt himself falling into despair. Was Ponyboy going to be okay? Would he come home? Or would he be left alone?

-x-x-x-x-x-

**October 1st, 1967 - 09:00**

Nathaniel wiped Ponyboy's forehead, his hands shaking and feeling sick himself. He'd only gotten back to the house with his parents about six hours ago and hadn't been to sleep all night, especially after he'd gotten back to see the situation that Ponyboy was in.

Bandages were wrapped around Ponyboy's left hand and that was the only thing that was keeping him from losing more blood than he already had.

Nathaniel's head snapped up as he heard yelling and a scuffle downstairs. On the bed, Ponyboy whimpered slightly. Placing his hand on Ponyboy's shoulder, Nathaniel tried to reassure him. "It's going to be okay, Ponyboy. I promise."

It was a promise that he didn't want to break.

After about ten minutes, everything fell quiet and Nathaniel went utterly still, as he heard the sounds of at least two people coming up the stairs. The door handle was pressed down and then the door was opened, revealing two people who made Nathaniel's eyes go wide.

"Louis? Matthew?"

-x-x-x-x-x-

**October 1st, 1967 - 09:15**

Louis was leaning over Ponyboy's bandaged hand, as Nathaniel held Ponyboy's other hand. Despite his weak condition, Ponyboy had one hell of a grip and Nathaniel knew that bruises would probably be forming soon.

"Where are mom and dad?" Nathaniel asked.

Louis looked up after he was finished checking Ponyboy over. "Downstairs. We have Uncle Jacob and the two of them knocked out and tied up. Matthew, have you called for the police and an ambulance?"

He'd asked that every two minutes, but they all knew why. Ponyboy wouldn't survive long without medical help. He was pale and clammy, and he was finding it hard to stay conscious.

Matthew, who was standing by the doorway, nodded. "They're on their way. They'll contact the police in Tulsa and, from there, Ponyboy's brothers. It's good that you managed to get a call to us, Nathaniel."

Nathaniel smiled slightly, pleased that he'd managed to get away from his parents for a brief time last night, while they'd been out. The two of them had been so focused on getting utterly smashed, that he'd managed to slip a note to the bartender, who had evidently then managed to call his brothers. On the note, he'd used the secret language that they'd used when they were all younger, since they hadn't wanted their parents and uncle to know what they were saying. The bartender probably hadn't even known what he was telling his brothers as he read the note, but at least the message had gotten to them in time.

Louis stood up and wiped his hands on a cloth. As he did, the sound of approaching sirens caught their attention. Without a word, Louis left the room and headed downstairs, so that he could greet the police and brief the paramedics on Ponyboy's condition.

Looking down at Ponyboy and meeting his tired gaze, the both of them knew this was far from over.

This would never be over.

* * *

**Author's Note****:- I kept changing my mind about how this chapter was going to turn out, but I finally just came out like this. Please, let me know what you think and review.**

**Enjoy!**


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